Medical garment

ABSTRACT

A garment used for medical purposes is disclosed. The garment may include one or more slits or openings strategically positioned along the sides of the garment, and may include attachment means, such as snaps, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, or any other suitable means. A slit is positioned on the front or back portion of the garment so that medical equipment may be inserted through the slit to make contact with a wearer&#39;s body. A loop is positioned near the slit to allow wires or tubes that pass through the slit to be secured. A pocket flap covers the slit and loop. The pocket flap may open to allow access to the slit and close to allow coverage and further allow for the storage of wires or tubes that remain connected to wearer&#39;s body but not connected to their associated medical equipment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.14/515,116 filed on Sep. 15, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a garment used formedical purposes is disclosed. The garment may include one or more slitsor openings strategically positioned therein, so that medical equipmentmay be inserted through the slits, which provide access to a patient'sbody or skin. Oftentimes, patients in a hospital, and particularlypatients who may be under the care of an intensive care unit of thehospital, are hooked up to various types of machines with tubes forcarrying fluids, electrical monitors, and other types of medicalequipment. Many times, patients wear hospital gowns, which are looselydraped over the patient's body with a large slit that is positioned on abackside of the gown, and the slit may be closed with ties that areintermittently positioned on either side of the slit. Because thesehospital gowns are loosely fitting, tubes and wires that are attached tothe patient may be positioned so that they simply pass under the frontportion of the gown, through the sleeve of the gown, or through the slitat the back of the gown.

Unfortunately, hospital gowns are notoriously unsightly garments, andthe slit in the rear portion thereof provides a line of sight to thepatients back and buttocks, which may be a source of embarrassment tothe patient. Another common complaint about hospital gowns is that theyare paper-thin and loosely fitting, which causes patients to be cold.

Heretofore, efforts have been made to address these issues. Forinstance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,268 discloses a patient's garment which issuitable for various medical procedures, which will give the patient asense of dignity and well-being, and which is of relatively low cost,high durability and common sizing. The patient's garment has a bodyportion and sleeves. The body portion includes a main panel which can bepositioned to either the front or rear side of the patient and a pair ofadjacent side panels which could normally be positioned on the otherside of the patient. The outer side edges of the side panels are joinedtogether in overlapping relationship when the garment is worn by thepatient by a plurality of vertically spaced apart fasteners. The sleevesare sewn to the body portion, and the top of each sleeve is providedwith an openable seam having adjacent mating edges which extend from theneck of the patient over the patient's shoulder and down along the arms.The mating edges can be held together in overlapping relationship by aplurality of spaced apart hook and loop fasteners. The fasteners can beopened to facilitate various hospital procedures such as X-rays, thoraxand upper abdomen examinations, and I.V. therapy, and also permits amother to nurse her baby without removal of the garment.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,087 describes a garment permitting ease of enclosingportions of a human body. The inventive device includes a front garmentpanel positionable over an anterior portion of a human body. A reargarment panel is positionable over a posterior portion of a human bodyand can be removably coupled at opposed lateral edges thereof to opposedlateral edges of the front garment panel to fully enclose the selectedportion of the human body.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,271 discloses a garment for a hospital patient. Thegarment has a front piece with a first side, a first shoulder, a secondside, and a second shoulder, and a back piece with a first edge and asecond edge. The first edge of the back piece is sewn to the front pieceat a first side and first shoulder thereof. A plurality of fasteningmeans in pairs is provided at a second side and a second shoulder, andthe second edge. Two sleeves are respectively formed at the first andsecond shoulders. The sleeve at the first shoulder is sewn with thefirst edge of the second piece. The sleeve at the second side is sewnonly with the front piece. An extending part is formed on the frontpiece and extends backwards from the second shoulder.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,305,716 describes a medical gown that includes separableportions that can be joined using color coded fasteners. The garmentincludes a pair of sleeve portions each having a separate seam extendingfrom a neck opening to a distal end of the sleeve portion. Disposedalong each of two opposing edges of separable seam are a plurality ofmating, color-coded fasteners allowing a medical worker to easily securethe garment about a patient. The garment also includes a back flap thatwraps around to partially overlay a front surface of the garment, andwhich is likewise secured with color-coded fasteners.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,987,524 discloses a long-sleeved, pullover-type, upperbody garment has a continuous slit, which runs up the side of thegarment from the bottom of garment body to an arm pit, and downwardalong the underside of a sleeve, and terminates at a pointintermediately along the length of the sleeve. The segment of the slitthat is in the body of the garment is temporarily closeable using matinghook-and-loop fastener members that are attached to the body of thegarment on opposite sides of the slit. The segment of the slit in theripper portion of the sleeve remains at all times “open”, therebyallowing access to the middle and/or upper end of the wearer's arm forattachment of IV tubing or other medical lines. The circumference of thelower end (e.g., forearm portion) of the sleeve is neither separable noropenable, thereby requiring that a wearer insert his/her hand throughthe lower portion of the sleeve. The garment can be donned or removed bya patient to whom mid-arm medical lines are attached, withoutnecessitating detachment of the medical lines. Conversely, mid-armmedical lines can be attached to a wearer's arm without necessitatingrolling up of the sleeve or removal of the garment.

U.S. Publication No. 2010/0242150 A1 describes a hospital gown havingstrategically positioned slits and fitted fasteners along the front,back and sides to allow preferential closing of the open seams andsecuring sensor connected leads or intravenous tubing to the patient.The hospital gown has a rear-opened garment, fasteners for closing theshoulder and sleeves sections, rear fasteners, plurality ofstrategically positioned slits for passing tubes and wire and pluralityof pockets. The hospital gown may comprise a side-opened garment,shoulder fasteners, side fasteners, plurality of slits for passing tubesand wire and plurality of pockets. The preferred and alternativeembodiments of the hospital gown feature one or more hook-and-loopstrips or snaps strategically placed at the front, sides and, or back ofthe hospital gown.

U.S. Publication No. 2012/0151658 A1 discloses a medical garment formedof a central body region and two side regions with a pair of belts and apair of fasteners for securing the garment around a patient's body isprovided. The central body region may be worn on the back or front andmay have a v-neck form. A waistband extends across the central bodyregion and across one side region with a first belt secured at thejunction of the central region and the second side region and extendingto the outer edge of the first side region. The second belt extends fromthe secured end of the first belt through the waistband across thecentral body region, the second belt exiting the waistband at thejunction of the second side region and central body region. A firstfixed tie is positioned at the outer edge of the second side regionalong the position of the waistband. A second fixed tie is secured tothe inside of the waistband between the central body region and firstside region. This garment design allows for easy gathering of fabric topresent a secure and attractive body covering.

U.S. Publication No. 2012/0246796 describes a medical garment isprovided that includes fabric fitted for an upper torso of a patientwhereby a separable length is formed in the fabric with fastening stripsfastened along the separable length, which may be used by the patientwhen dressing, undressing, bathing and during examinations by ahealthcare professional.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide a garment that would provideaccess to a patient's skin and body, but which would also be warmer andmore attractive to wear.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a medical garment mayinclude one or more slits or openings strategically positioned therein,so that medical equipment may be inserted through the slits. In oneembodiment, the medical garment may include, attachments for removablyclosing such slits. The attachments may be snaps, hook and loopfasteners, or any suitable means. The attachments may allow the slits tobe fully open, partially open, or fully closed, as desired. In oneembodiment, the garment may have a slit that proceeds from the neckopening, or collar, of the garment down a portion of the sleevefollowing the shoulder which would allow for a larger neck hole. Inanother embodiment, the garment may have a slit that proceeds along theperiphery, from the waist of the garment along the side seam up into theunderarm and out along the bottom seam of the sleeve to the distal endof the sleeve which would allow access to the torso of an individual. Inanother embodiment a slit in the garment may proceed around the entireperiphery to allow full separation of a front portion of the medicalgarment from a back portion. Having a front portion that is removablefrom a back portion allows a user to choose from different designs orconfigurations of front portions for the medical garment.

In one embodiment the garment may have a slit defined by the frontportion of the garment near to where the medical equipment is desired tomake contact with a user, allowing the medical equipment to passthrough. This placement of the slit is useful because it removes some ofthe discomfort and inconvenience associated with having tubes and wiresrunning underneath medical garments. For example, this may be usefulwhen the person has a central venous access device, such as anon-tunneled or tunneled catheter, or other medical device that requiresaccess to the chest of the user. In another embodiment, the slit may bedefined by the back portion to accommodate access to the back of a user.

In one embodiment, the slit on the front or back portion of the medicalgarment may feature a pocket flap to cover it via attachment with themedical garment around the slit. A pocket flap may allow for storage ofsome of the tubes or wires of the medical devices when unconnected fromthe machines but still connected to the user. For example, a child witha tunneled central catheter may be able to have the catheter tube storedin the pocket created by attachment of the pocket flap which helps keepthe tube from being tangled, pulled, or coming into contact with asurface that may have potential infectious agents.

In one embodiment, a loop may be affixed to the garment in closeproximity to the slit on the garment. Further, the loop may be affixedwithin the pocket created by attachment of the pocket flap. Tubes orwires may be coiled or passed through the loop when unconnected frommachines but connected to the user. The loop may help prevent the tubesand wires passing through from coming into contact with potentialinfectious agents by coming uncoiled, becoming tangled, being pulled,falling out of the pocket, or falling back into the garment through theslit.

Further features of this invention will be apparent from the attacheddrawings and description of illustrative embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the medical garment with aslit featuring removable attachments proceeding from the collar of agarment down the shoulder and terminating at a point along the sleeve, aslit featuring removable attachments proceeding from the waist of thegarment up to the underarm of the shirt and continuing out along thebase of the sleeve to the end of the sleeve, a chest slit defined by thefront portion, and a pocket flap and a loop sewn on to the front portionso that the pocket flap may cover the chest slit and loop or open toallow access to the chest slit and loop;

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of the medical garment with alarger chest slit defined by the front portion;

FIG. 3 is a front view of one embodiment of the medical garment in usewith a tube passing through the chest slit defined by the front portion;

FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the medical garment in usewith a tube passing through the chest slit and loop and stored in thepocket created by attachment of the pocket flap;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the medical garment witha slit and attachment means around the periphery of the garment to allowfull separation of a front portion of the medical garment from a backportion;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of one section of one embodiment of themedical garment with the pocket flap partially removed to show a tubepassing through the chest slit and coiled through a sewn on loop;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of one section of one embodiment of themedical garment with the pocket flap partially removed to show a tubepassing through the chest slit and coiled through a removably attachedloop; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of one section of one embodiment of themedical garment with the pocket flap partially removed to show a tubepassing through the chest slit and coiled through a loop comprising twoseparate members removably attached together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of the medical garment 10, a shoulder slit 16 mayextend from one side of the collar or neck opening to a shoulderportion, as shown in FIG. 1. This shoulder slit 16 may be opened inorder to facilitate the process of putting the garment 10 onto thepatient, particularly if the patient has bandages or medical equipmentattached to his or her head or neck.

Essentially, this shoulder slit 16 enlarges the neck opening to make iteasier to place the garment 10 onto the patient. As shown in the FIG. 1,the shoulder slit 16 may include attachment means 18, such as snaps,hook and loop fasteners, or the like that may be used to close theshoulder slit 16, either partially or completely, as desired ornecessary.

Other slits in the garment 10 may be provided, as well. In oneembodiment, the garment 10 may be in the form of a long sleeve shirt,wherein one side of the shirt 10 includes a side-seam slit 20 from thewaist 28 upwardly, extending through the underarm portion 30, andoutwardly to the end of the sleeve 32, as shown in FIG. 1. Thisside-seam slit 20 may include attachment means 18, such as snaps, hookand loop fasteners, or the like, that serve to close the slit to theextent necessary. The side-seam slit 20 may be completely closed, or maybe partially closed, thereby allowing just enough of an opening to runtubes, electrical wires, or the like through the inner-side slit 20, sothat medical equipment may be attached to the patient's body and furtherattached to medical equipment adjacent the patient's bed or wheelchair,for instance.

In another embodiment, multiple slits may be incorporated into thegarment 10. For instance, the side-seam slit 20 extending along the sideof the garment 10, up through the underarm 30 and out to the end of thesleeve 32 may be included, as well as the shoulder slit 16 describedabove. These slits 16, 20 may be incorporated onto the same side of thegarment 10, or on opposed sides. Alternatively, these slits 16, 20 maybe incorporated into both sides, as desired.

Optionally, other strategically placed slits may be incorporated intothe garment 10 in an area where medical tubes or other equipment isrequired. For instance, slits in the back portion or front portion ofthe garment 10 may be provided for tubes 40 that must be placed adjacentthose areas on the body. As shown in FIG. 1, a chest slit 26 may be usedto allow access to a monitor, central venous access device, or othermedical device in or to that area of the body. The chest slit 26 may besized appropriately as necessary to accommodate the particular device inuse. For example, a larger chest slit 26, as shown in FIG. 2, may benecessary for access to an implanted port catheter. A smaller chest slit26, as shown in FIG. 1 may be necessary for access to a tunneled centralcatheter that exits the body in the chest region, such as BROVIAC® andHICKMAN® catheters. FIG. 3 shows a person with a catheter tube 40exiting the chest slit 26 as described. The chest slit 26 may further becovered when not in use by a pocket flap 22, as shown in FIG. 4. Thepocket flap 22 may connect to the garment by having a bottom seam 24,sewn on, and the sides and top of the flap define attachment means 18that mate with corresponding attachments 18 on the chest area of thegarment 10. The pocket flap 22 may further act as a storage site for acoiled up catheter tube 40, as shown in FIG. 4, by mating of theattachment means 18 of the packet flap 22 with the corresponding means18 on the garment 10, such that the pocket flap 22 covers the chest slit26 and coiled up catheter tube 40 that exits the chest slit 26. Coilingup the tube 40 within the area between the garment 10 and packet flap 22helps prevent the tube 40 from coming into contact with surfaces thatmay host germs that could cause infection.

Additionally as in FIGS. 1-8, a loop 34 may be affixed to the garment 10in close proximity to the chest slit 26. Further, the loop 34 may beaffixed so that the loop 34 is within the space between the pocket flap22 and the garment 10, such as being affixed to the bottom seam 24. Theloop 34 may be affixed to the garment 10 in a permanent fashion, as inFIG. 6, or removable fashion, as in FIG. 7. In one embodiment the loop34 consists of a single strip of material attached at each distal end tothe garment 10 to form a loop, as in FIGS. 6 and 7. Alternatively, theloop 34 may consist of two or more separate strips of material whereinthe strips are attached to the garment 10 and each other to form a loop,as in FIG. 8. Additionally, these strips of material that form the loop34 may be removably attached to one another to make it easier to use theloop 34. In use, the loop 34, similar to the pocket flap 22, helpssecure the tube 40 as in FIGS. 4 and 6-8. For example, when the tube 40is coiled, it may be coiled through the loop 34, preventing the tube 40from uncoiling and falling back into the garment 10 through the chestslit 26 or falling out from the space between the pocket flap 22 and thegarment 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6-8. Coiling the tube 40 through theloop helps prevent the tube 40 from coming into contact with surfacesthat may host germs that could cause infection. It is furthercontemplated that the loop 34 may be made from any desirable material.

Another embodiment may include slits around the entire periphery of thegarment 10, so that a front portion 12 of the garment 10 may beremovably secured via attachments 18 to a back portion 14 of the garment10, as shown in FIG. 5. In this way, it is possible to provide, forinstance, interchangeable front portions 12 with a single back portions14, or vice versa. By way of example, a patient may have a single backportion 14 that may be affixed to several different front portions 12,as desired. The front portions 12 may include different colors, designs,or graphic elements. If a patient likes several different musical bandsor sports teams, or some combination thereof, then they can select afront portion 12 with the name or logo of their favorite band or team.Because the entire front portion 12 may be removed from the back portion14, and the slit is provided around the entire periphery, then medicaltubes and the like may be inserted into the slit at any point around theperiphery of the garment 10.

It is contemplated that the garments 10 may be made from any desirablematerial. It is further contemplated that garments other than shirts maybe included, as well. Pants having slits along a vertical side may beprovided. Other slits, such as along the inseam of the pants, may beused, as well. Alternatively, one-piece garments, similar to pajamas orjumpsuits having slits may be provided, as well.

The garments 10 of the present invention may be initially manufacturedwith the slits described herein, together with attachment means 18 suchas snaps or hook and loop fasteners. Alternatively, slits may be cutinto a pre-existing garment 10 after the manufacture thereof, andattachment means 18 may be subsequently provided along the slits, asdesired.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detailwith reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions arepossible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims shouldnot be limited to the description of the preferred versions containedherein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced byalternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose,unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly statedotherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a genericseries of equivalent or similar features.

What is claimed is:
 1. A medical garment comprising: A front portionconnected to a back portion along the peripheries thereof, said medicalgarment defining a neck opening at the top, two sleeves for armsincluding a top seam and bottom seam with openings at the distal endsfor hands, and a body section with opening at the waist for the torso;said front portion being removably attached to said back portion on oneside from said waist upwardly to a bottom portion of said sleeve; saidfront portion being removably attached to said back portion on one sidefrom said neck opening downwardly to a shoulder portion; a slit definedby said front portion or said back portion to allow medical equipmentrequiring contact with a garment wearer's body to pass through; a looppositioned on said front portion or said back portion near said slit toallow tubes or wires from said medical equipment to be passed through;and a pocket flap attached to said front portion or said back portionthat covers said slit and said loop.
 2. The medical garment of claim 1wherein said front portion is removably attached to said back portion onboth sides from said neck opening downwardly to a shoulder portion. 3.The medical garment of claim 1 wherein said front portion is removablyattached to said back portion on both sides from said waist upwardly toa bottom portion of said sleeve.
 4. The medical garment of claim 2wherein said front portion is removably attached to said back portion onboth sides from said waist upwardly to a bottom portion of said sleeve.5. The medical garment of claim 1 wherein said front portion is fullyremovable from said back portion about a periphery thereof.
 6. Themedical garment of claim 1 wherein said front portion is removablyattached to said back portion along said bottom seam of said sleeve. 7.The medical garment of claim 1 wherein said front portion is removablyattached to said back portion on both sides along said bottom seam ofsaid sleeve.
 8. The medical garment of claim 1, wherein said frontportion and said back portion are removably attached from said neckopening downwardly along said top seam to a distal end of said sleeve.9. The medical garment of claim 1 wherein said front portion isremovably attached to said back portion on both sides from said neckopening downwardly along said top seam to a distal end of said sleeve.10. The medical garment of claim 1 wherein said pocket flap is removablyattached to said front portion or said back portion.
 11. The medicalgarment of claim 1, wherein said pocket flap includes a first side and asecond side which are removably attached to said front portion or backportion.
 12. The medical garment of claim 1, wherein said loop isremovably attached to said medical garment.
 13. The medical garment ofclaim 1, wherein said loop comprises at least two members attachedtogether.
 14. The medical garment of claim 13, wherein said memberscomprising said loop are removably attached together.
 15. The medicalgarment of claim 13, wherein said members comprising said loop areremovably attached to said medical garment.